In an effort to enthuse people towards significantly higher usage of digital transactions, the Centre and the Maharashtra Government are organising a “Digi Dhan Mela” on the Mumbai University campus on January 3.
At the day-long event, 50-odd stalls will be put up by banks, e-wallet, telecom and transportation (auto/car) network companies, Aadhaar enabled payment system (AEPS) vendors, merchants associations, Aaple Sarkar Seva Kendra operators, fair price shop owners, small vendors, self help groups from the Maharashtra State Rural livelihoods Mission (MSRlM), National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and UIDAI.
Being organised under the aegis of two schemes of Government of India-lucky Grahak Yojana for Consumers and Digi-Dhan Vyapar Yojana for Merchants which offer of incentives, the mela seeks to promote digital payment methods to encourage consumers and merchants to shift to the new payment modes. The NITI Aayog of Government of India and Department of Electronics & IT are assisting the Centre in implementing the two schemes.
At the mela, training regarding digital payments will also be imparted to the Aaple Sarkar Seva Kendra operators, Fair price shop owners, Auto-Taxi operators from Mumbai, Thane and Raigad. “All such providers will be provided space at venue where customers and merchants will be able to get information and get sensitised or trained about digi operations,” an official spo9kesperson said.
The Government is also organizing competition regarding slogan making, radio jingles, spot etc for two age groups – below 18 and above 18. Digital prizes and awards would be given to persons for winners various contests that would take place under the scheme.
According to an official release, the awards will be given out on a daily and weekly basis under the lucky Grahak Yojana and weekly basis under the Digi-Dhan Vyapar Yojana. Only those transactions that take place through RuPay Cards, USSD, UPI and AEPS are eligible under this scheme, which will be implemented by the NPCI.
The draws for these events will be taken out in 100 different cities around the country, in a ceremony accompanied by a digital payments adoption fair called Digi Dhan Mela. This event will act as a platform to promote digital payments.
The scheme has already become operational nationally with the first draw on December 25, 2016, coinciding with Christmas and would lead up to April 14, 2017, coinciding with Babasaheb Ambedkar Jayanti with a mega draw.
